The Langue de Barbarie (French for "Barbary spit of land," named after the Barbary Coast) is a narrow, sandy peninsula next to the Atlantic Ocean. It is located in western Senegal, near the city of Saint-Louis. The peninsula divides the ocean from the last part of the Senegal River.

National park

The Langue de Barbarie National Park (French: Parc National de la Langue de Barbarie) is located at the southern edge of the peninsula. It covers an area of 2,000 hectares (4,900 acres) and is home to many different kinds of bird species and three types of turtles, including the critically endangered hawksbill sea turtle. The park was named a Ramsar site in 2021.

2003 breach and environmental disaster

On October 3, 2003, a 4-meter (13-foot) gap was created in the peninsula near Saint-Louis to help prevent flooding. However, the gap grew quickly to 800 meters (2,600 feet) and permanently separated the southern part of the peninsula from the rest of the country, making it an island. By December 2013, the sea had taken over 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) of land, causing the loss of villages and tourist resorts, as well as changes in the plants and animals of the peninsula. By January 2020, the gap had grown to 6 kilometers.